Cebu and the "Tartanilla"

CEBU, Philippines -  Many people today define themselves in terms of where they are going, not of where they come from. The past become outdated and irrelevant. This is the sad social trend that "Gabii sa Kabilin" (A Night of Heritage) aims to mitigate.

A trip along Cebu's memory lane, "Gabii sa Kabilin" is an effort of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and its partners to revive people's awareness and interest in Cebuano culture and heritage. The city's beautiful past is not all lost, after all.

And on the subject of Cebu heritage, the formerly ubiquitous "tartanilla" (horse-drawn carriage), one of the city's finest modes of transportation in the past, is an important fixture.

In the 1850s, native ponies were utilized in large communities of Cebu to transport both people and goods. The "tartanilla" was the common means of transportation in urban areas of the country, although the design and capacity were different from region to region.

The "calessa," a two-wheeled horse carriage for two passengers, was used in Manila, while the "tartanilla," slightly larger and could accommodate four seated passengers, was utilized in Cebu.  After the Second World War, the horse-drawn carriages were eventually replaced by motorized vehicles as the popular choice of transportation.

According to Richie Dasmariñas, a "tartanilla" operator in Pardo, the current size and look of the "tartanilla" originated from the 1930s. It took from the one introduced earlier in the 1900s that had a seating capacity of five, including the "cuchero," the carriage chauffeur. Its door was originally located at the side, but was later moved to the back in the 1930s, a design still in use today. Another innovation of the Cebu "tartanilla" is its receptacle, a pouch near the foot of the "cuchero" which catches the horse's manure.

An interesting feature of the Cebuano "tartanilla" reminiscent of its heydays in the 1930s is the colorful art decorations of its "barandillas" and the carvings on its "kaha" (carriage body). These artistic touches have practically remained unchanged to this day. Each "tartanilla" shop or maker has its own trademark design. Dasmariñas' "tartanillas" have the star and the sunburst and the ones in Duljo have squares and diamonds, among other distinctive features.

According to Charlie Abellanosa, a "panday" (carpenter) of "tartanillas" who learned his craft from his father and grandfather, there were many "tartanilla" makers in Cebu before. "Tartanilla" shops were found in Bulacao, Duljo, Mabolo, and Manduae. However, only the shops in Pardo and in Duljo are left today.

Abellanosa said that most people involved in "tartanilla" today - from the "cuchero" to the "panday" to the operator - learned their craft and trade from their elders. Horses were once plenty in Cebu, although some of those used in the "tartanilla" transport system were imported from Mindanao and Negros or Masbate.

There were "tartanilla" parades or races in the fiestas of Bulacao and Guadalupe. In a race that ran in pairs, the "tartanillas" would have three passengers each - the "cuchero," the coach and the "huwes" (judge). The judge declared the winner. The decision would consider, in part, the number of times the horse was whipped during the race.

Cebu is the only city in the Philippines that has its own unique structure of horse drawn carriage. Aside from its use for transportation, this local carriage is used for entertainment as well. The "Gabii sa Kabilin,"  an annual event that RAFI started in 2007, acknowledges the uniqueness and cultural significance of the "tartanilla." This one-night cultural bonanza adopts the horse-drawn carriage as its official emblem.

The "Gabii sa Kabilin" is aimed at reminding Cebuanos of their colorful past. The night tour visits different museums and heritage sites, from six p.m. until midnight. It also features cultural shows, exhibits, children's activities, contests, food fairs and other enjoyable experience. Since 2008, "Gabii sa Kabilin" has added "tartanilla" rides as one of its highlights, always to the great delight of participants.

"We want [Cebuanos] to realize that when it's Cebuano, you cannot think away from ‘ tartanilla.’ It evokes nostalgia, [a sense of] belonging to the place or, should I say, pride of place. So that's why we [considered] the 'tartanilla,'" said Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, RAFI Culture and Heritage Unit executive director. The "tartanilla" is always moving, striving and surviving, qualities innate to the Cebuanos.

The progress of a place, like Cebu City, brings with it a change in the culture; people adopt new ways of living, new lifestyles. But people continue to carry part of the past in them, Gerra added. It's a process, she said, where people take the good and leave behind the bad. "The 'tartanilla' is a very powerful image of Cebu, of being a Cebuano, because it [symbolizes a people that's] hardworking, not simplistic but prudent; [it's] functional and efficient."